Once More, Jak, With Feeling
by Lizzy Rebel
Summary: What happens when the cast and crew of Jak 2 are forced to sing out their inner most emotions? Based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer eposide 'Once More, With Feeling'. Find out who sings what! [CHAPTER FIVE. Final chapter! Come read it! Please? R&R!]
1. Wine, Song, and Dance

Once More, Jak, With Feeling 

By: Lizzy Rebel

            Lizzy: ***grins*** now what made me what to write this? A Jak 2 fic based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode 'Once More, With Feeling', if you haven't already guessed that already from the title.. I must be out of my mind…

Torn: ***walks in the room reading script*** I'm singing WHAT!?

Lizzy: ***dunks behind desk and says softly*** as you can see the tough guys (aka Jak and Torn… ah surprisingly Sig wasn't too unhappy about it) weren't too happy about it. I don't know Jak is and I dare not wonder. I shudder to think what will happen when—

Jak: Where is SHE!!??

Lizzy: Uh-huh. Okay, basically I don't own Jak 2 or the lyrics from 'Once More, With Feeling'. The first belongs to Naughty Dog Inc. and the latter belongs to Joss Whedon. I praise the both whole-heartedly for being such geniuses! Enjoy the story and R&R!!!!

Torn: There she is! ***points to Lizzy***  
Jak: Go for her legs! Time I introduced Lizzy to the Peace-marker. ***pulls out Peace-maker***

Lizzy: Epe! ***runs from room with Torn and Jak on her tail****

_***Italics***_- signing

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Chapter One- Wine, Song, and Dance 

                        Jak, with Daxter clinging to his shoulder, ran through the gravel roads of Dead Town, his Blaster gun blazing. His eyes were seat, his face grim. If he hadn't been so damned annoyed he'd probably would've sighed. It was just that even though Kor had been killed there were still Metal Heads around and they needed to be eliminated. Not to mention the Krimzon Guard still seemed to enjoy shooting at him. He had a feeling Torn was behind _that_.

            "Watch out, Jak!" Daxter screeched from Jak's shoulder and Jak watched as two large Metal Heads came down on them. Jak growled, raised his gun, and fired his Blaster gun. The Metal Heads dissolved; their glowing skulls the only thing left behind.

            "Nice shootin'!" Daxter said giddily and Jak rolled his eyes. He'd like to tell Daxter that he didn't consider _this_ fun but it was work. Sometimes he wished things could go back to the way it had been, to the way when he was innocent-

            _"Every single night, the same arrangement, I go out and fight the fight. Still I always feel this strange estrangement. Nothing here is real, nothing here is right."_

Daxter opened his mouth, probably to demand where Jak learned how to sing, but Jak raised a hand and shook his head fiercely, "_I've been making shows of trading blows, just hoping no one knows, that I've been going through the motions, walking through the part."_

Daxter stared at his friend in wonder as if seeing him for the first time and then began, "Ah-" but he was cut off by Jak yet again.

            _"Nothing seems to penetrate my heart_." Jak watched as yet another Metal Head charged and he shot it with his Blaster gun. "_I was always brave and kinda righteous. Now I find I'm wavering. Crawl out of your grave, you'll find this fight just doesn't mean a thing."_

Daxter, wide mouthed now, started to demand that Jak stop singing because it was creeping him out when from his mouth burst, _"He ain't got the swing."_ He wrapped one of his furry paws around his throat and blinked in horror.

            Jak looked up at his friend with narrowed eyes, _"**Thanks** for noticing."_

            From behind the ruins of Dead Town popped even more Metal Heads, but instead of attacking they broke into verse, _"He is pretty well with fiends from hell, but lately we can tell, that he's been going through the motions. Faking it somehow."_

Daxter, momentarily freed from the song, looked at the Metal Heads in disbelief, "You can talk!?" The Metal Heads looked at one another and shrugged.

Closest to Jak, one of the larger Metal Heads began his solo, _"He's not even half the boy he—_ owww!" The Metal Head's solo was interrupt by a bullet curtsey of Jak.

            "This is my big solo!" Jak growled.

            The Metal Heads began to surround them and Daxter began to tremble. Jak just looked at them calmly, _"Will I stay this way forever? Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor?"_ He reached for his gun once more and shot as many Metal Heads as he could before he made a break for the exit to Haven City.

            Daxter, glad to be alive and now caught up in the emotion of the song despite that he was freaked out, began, _"Thanks! Buddy, how can I ever-"_

_            "Whatever! I don't wanna be…" _Jak said slowly as he rushed to the exit doors, Metal Heads nipping at his heals, _"going through the motions, loosing all my drive. I can't even see if this is really me, and I just wanna be_—" The door to Haven City opened and with the Metal Heads ready to devour him, Jak leaped into the city crying, _"Alive!"_

            As the door to Dead City slid shut, the Metal Heads locked safely behind them, Jak blinked. What was that? What had come over him? Did he really just burst into a soprano? He shook his head in confusion. That was weird.

            Daxter seemed to have the same idea because he was looking at Jak in both horror and somewhat awe, "What was that!?" he demanded.

~~**~~

                        When Jak walked into the Naughty Ottsel, all of his friends Samos, Keira, Sig, Tess, Ashlin, Brutter and Torn where waiting for him.

            Keira, looking happy to see him, said brightly, "Good morning, Jak!" as if on cue, sunlight burst forth from the jarred door.

            Jak gave her what little smile he could muster and said, "Hey. How's everything going?"

            Jak noted that the room was very quiet… to quiet. Looking into their eyes, he noted that they seemed to be afraid to open their mouths. As if they were afraid they would burst into D-minor. Perhaps, Jak thought as Daxter hopped off his shoulder and began to flirt outrageously with Tess, they had all experienced something like his little Broadway Musical. He's ask them and if they had no clue what he was talking about, he'd say it had been a weird dream where they had all been singing and dancing.

            "Last night," he began and everyone's eyes soon feel upon him, "did anyone… ah… burst into song?"

            Samos gave a short laugh, "I thought it had just been me. I was sitting down in my house experimenting with my ferns when I started to sing about glucose."

            Keira stepped forward timidly and said, "I sang a unique version of 'Like a Virgin'." She blinked as everyone started at her, "What!? I'm not all that innocent, you know!"

            The group exchanged looked for a moment or two before Sig turned back towards Jak, "What did you sing about?" he asked.

            "Me?" Jak rushed forward and carefully 'knocked' Daxter off the counter before he could say anything, "Nothing real interesting. Just a little number about shooting Metal Heads all day." Quickly, before Daxter decided to open his big mouth, he changed the subject, "So what do you think is causing this?"

            Torn, eyes narrowed and arms crossed, leaned back against the bar, "Yes, what is causing this? And we better find out fast. I for one do not want to be included in your singing montage again. In fact, if you start bursting out into sing and dance I'd like to be as far-"

            _"I've got a theory,"_ Samos proclaimed as he placed his cup on the bar, _"that's it's a demon. A dancing demon…" _he shook his head, _"no that isn't right."_

Sig looked at everyone sheepishly as he sang his verse in harmony, _"I've got a theory, some kid is dreaming. And we're all stuck in his wacky Broadway nightmare."_

To his utmost horror, Torn leaned forward and began to sing along with everyone else, _"I've got a theory, that we should work this out."_

_            "It's getting eerie. What's this cheery singing all about?"_ the all chimed in union.

            Daxter rose from his seat on the bar and began the next verse, _"It could be Lurkers! Some evil Lurkers!"_ He received a glare from Brutter on the other side of the bar and took a step away, _"Which is ridiculous, 'cause Lurkers they were persecuted, Lurkers good, and civilized now… and I'll be over here!"_ He quickly shuffled out of the view of Brutter.

            Ashlin, who had been listening to the whole conversation but had yet to gave her input, stood from her stool, _"I've got a theory, it could be bunnies."_

Everyone turned their head to stare at her with blank and confused looks. Torn shook his head having known about Ashlin's hatred for the floppy creatures. Crickets could be heard chirping in the distance. Ashlin blinked.

            _"I've got a theory—" _Tess tried to put in from behind the bar but Ashlin jumped in front of her.

            _"Bunnies aren't just cute like everybody supposes! They've got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses. And what's with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for anyway? Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!"_

Blank eyes continued to stay at her.

            _"Or maybe midgets."___

Tess leaned close to Sig and sang softly, _"I've got a theory we should work this out fast."_

Sig nodded his head in agreement, watching as Daxter raised his voice in soprano, _"Cause it clearly could get serious before its past."_

Jak, who hadn't felt the words and verses bursting from his lungs, felt them now, _"I've got a theory, it doesn't matter. What can't we face if we're together? What's in this place that we can't weather? Apocalypse, we've all been there. The same old trips...why should we care?"_

To answer Jak, the whole bar chimed in, _"What can't we do if we get in it? We'll work it through within a minute. We have to try. We'll pay the price. It's do or die."_

_            "I don't wanna die!" _Daxter moaned.

            Jak, going for the self-esteem boost, continued, _"What can't we face if we're together?"_

Keira, happy to finally have the urge to sing and with Jak, chimed in as his personal background singer, _"What can't we face?"_

_            "What's in this place we can't weather if we're together?"_

_            "If we're together?"_

_            "There's nothing we can't face—"_

_            "— expect for bunnies."_ Ashlin finished nervously as she sat back down besides Torn, "Well," she said, surprisingly calm, "that was interesting… to say the least." Then she took a drink from her glass and looked back up at them, "Tell anyone about the bunnies and I'll kill you all." Ashlin snapped but her threat went ignored.

            Samos looked at each member of the group and said, "Well, any ideas people? And please, in word— not song."

            "Well," Tess said, leaning against the bar besides Daxter, "is it just us? Because if it is then we could narrow it down to…" she trailed off as Daxter, grinning, pointed to the still ajar door.

            "I don't think it's just us, angel cheeks." Daxter said.

            Everyone stood from where they were sitting and walked out into the port of Haven City. There, prancing about the walkway, were a group of civilians. All of them were waving their jackets above their heads with large dopey grins on their faces.

            _"They got the mustard out!" _One of them chimed, swinging his coat around with a grin of pure joy on his face. He leapt into the air and twirled around.

            The rest of the civilians followed suit as they swung their jackets in the air, _"They got the mustard out!"_

Samos bowed his head and shook it greatly, "No, unfortunately, it's not just us."

            Sig looked at the civilians in amazement, "I never knew we were so… ah… talented."

            At that moment a large, sweaty fat man came running down the streets with a large scarf following behind him. Daxter covered his eyes, "Ohhhh! That is so wrong!"

            Torn had his head in his hands and was saying grimly, "I fought the Baron, got labeled a traitor, and risked my life for THIS!?"

            Keira leaned against Jak and he blushed. She drew a lazy circle on his chest and said, "Maybe we'll get to do a duet." Jak's blushed reddened and he looked away.

            Ashlin was looking at them all, not really paying attention to her citizens, "Seriously, say anything, _anything_ about the bunnies…"  
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            Lizzy: I can't believe Jak and Torn haven't found me yet. I mean, I'm right behind the curtain! ***peeks out from curtains*** Okay, just a few notes. The verses I changed (biggest is Daxter's verse in _I Got a Theory_) were to fit the characters. And well… to review me, that's it. Now, all I have to do is sneak past Jak and Torn

Torn: ***laughs wickedly*** oh, she WILL pay! Torn does not sing like a girly man!

Jak: Since when does Torn speak in the third person?  
Torn: ***glares*** since Torn got pissed off! Wanna make something off it!? ***wipes out deadly knife thingy***

Jak: ***gulps*** no.

Daxter: ***runs into room carrying script*** Jak, I just found Lizzy's entire script! All the romantic duets are listed in here!  
Jak and Torn: WHAT!?

Jak: Am I singing with Keira!? ***grabs script from Daxter***

Torn: I am singing with Ashlin!? ***grabs script from Jak***  
Daxter: What about me and Tess? ***looks ready to grab script but then decides not to***

Lizzy: NOOOOOOO!!!! For the sake of all mysterious and suspense and romance! NOOOOOOO!!!! ***jumps out from behind curtains. Jak and Torn to stare at her with evil smiles*** Um, hi? ***gulps***

Jak and Torn: After her!!!! ***Jak wipes out Blaster Gun and Torn flips the knife thingy like he did before in the game***

Lizzy: AHHHHHHHH! ***runs from room*** Don't forget to REVIEW!!!!


	2. Love and Duet, Too

Lizzy: Hi ya'all, I'm back. ***snickers*** ya'all is my new favourite word! I kinda wish I had a Southern accent though…

Ashlin: ***walks in with a confused look on her face*** Lizzy, have you seen Torn? He's supposed to take me out this evening, but he never showed up. Is he still trying to kill you?

Lizzy: ***looks away innocently*** Torn…? Oh no, I haven't seen him. He gave up chasing me a while ago. 

Ashlin: ***looks at Lizzy suspiciously*** are you sure? He seemed pretty angry that you're making him sing a 'love song' in this chapter. I have thought that if he wasn't picking me up he was coming after you. ***there is a loud _thump_*** what was that?  
Lizzy: ***innocent eyes*** hmmm? What? I didn't hear anything. Maybe you're imagining things… ***kicks both tied up Torn and Jak hidden under desk***

Ashlin: Alright… if you see him tell him I'm looking for him and if you see Jak tell him Keira's on the prowl. ***looks at Lizzy's tightened face*** I'm just going to walk away now…

Lizzy: ***smiles falsely and waves*** bye-bye. Whew, that was close. The last thing I need is crazy psycho lady kicking my ass because I tied up her equally crazy-ass boyfriend. ***glares down at Jak*** now are you going to say the disclaimer or am I going to have to get the rabid fangirls out here?

Jak: ***moans*** anything but that. ***sighs*** okay, okay. Lizzy doesn't own anything, got it? We belong to Naughty Dog Inc. and the lyrics she's forcing us to say belongs to a guy named Joss Whedon.

Lizzy: Oh and thanks to _RuneAyame_, _Robin C_, _kizna1200_, _Yamislover_, _Lexiter__ Jackson_, _Shark_, _fanatic_, _Crossover Authoress_, _Miyuki_, _Necralis__, _and _Azzi__ Vile_ for reviewing. You guys ROCK! Keep reviewing And now, on with the chapter! 

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Chapter Two- Love and a Duet, Too 

                        While Samos and Keira went home to do extensive research on 'dancing and/or singing demons' Tess and Daxter had to keep an eye on the town folk of Haven City. Keira had nearly had a heart attack when she had been walking down the street and a man had danced to hard and blown up into a pile of smoke.

            "OH MY GOD!" Keira had whispered, trembling in Jak's protective embrace. Jak, for his part, had looked a little uneasy, "He was there and then he wasn't!"

            "He's a magician?" Daxter asked, blinking.

            "NO, furball!" Samos snapped, looking ready to hit Daxter on his furry head with his wood stick, "Apparently, if people sing to hard or dance for that matter then they'll explode."

            Daxter looked around nervously, "Ah, how long do we have to sing in order to explode? We were singing pretty hard back there in _my_ bar." Daxter always liked to emphasize the fact that he now owned Krew's former bar the HepHog

            Sig shrugged, "Who knows. Maybe we shouldn't try to find out. But I'll tell you cherries one thing, having people blowing up left and right will be a perfect opportunity for Metal Heads to attack."

            "He's right." Jak said, nodding to Sig, "Dax, you and Tess better patrol the city and try to stop anyone who looks like they're singing to hard."

            "HEY WAIT!" Daxter shouted, "What about you, buddy? What are you going to be doing?" It was a little scary, Daxter admitted, to think he would be without his partner. It wasn't something he did often and then the few times it happened it never turned out well.

            "I'm going to sleep." Jak said and walked out of the newly renamed Naughty Ottsel. Keira watched him go, looking worried.

            "Did you ever get the feeling that Jak seems… I dunno… different somehow?" Keira asked, "I mean from the Jak he was before Kor died. The angry one, not the young one."

            "We'll have to keep an eye on him." Samos muttered.

            "Hey," Daxter said suddenly, noticing that three members of their group were missing, "where are Ashlin and Torn and Brutter?"

            "Oh, Ashlin and Torn had some important government thing to do." Sig explained, "Obviously I didn't ask much about it since I don't do the government and Brutter was muttering something about a recipe for ottsel soup."

            If he could have, Daxter would've paled. Instead and he jumped onto Tess's shoulder and said, "Let's go, sweet checks. I don't wanna be around here when Brutter comes back."

            Tess chucked and they exited the Naughty Ottsel.

            Now, Daxter and Tess where walking down the farm area of Haven City, soaking up the sun rays. Behind them the voices of many solos, duets, and group songs could be heard but there was no smoke so they figured there was no cause for alarm. If someone seemed to be going all out, then they'd worry.

            Daxter looked down from his perch on Tess's shoulder and almost sighed. Tess looked very pretty in the sunlight, he decided. The bright light from their green sun made her silvery blonde hair sparkle and her blues eyes twinkle.

            But she'll never see me as more then a pet or a cute cuddly animal, Daxter thought grimly and looked away. On the outside Daxter may have looked like a happy-go-lucky guy but inside was another different story. Inside he burned for love, for happiness. For Tess.

            It might have happened to fast, his love for her. It might have originally based on the fact that she was 'blonde and big-breasted' but he came to see the real Tess. The brave, courageous fighter that she was. She was willing to do anything, sacrifice anything for the common good of the people of Haven City.

            And here he was. The sidekick. The rodent. The thing on the hero's shoulder. He had been labeled that and he had expected to be that. But then Tess had showed up in his life and had paid attention to him, had smiled at him and laughed with him. He now wanted to be something she could love.

            "Daxter?" Tess asked softly and looked up at him with concerned eyes, "You seem really quiet. Not at all your usual talkative self."

            Because he felt he song burning in him, Daxter hopped off of Tess's shoulder and looked up at her, "Tess, do you like me?" he asked, looking away for a moment.

            Tess smiled down at him and bent down so they were eye level, "What a silly question!" She exclaimed, "You know I like you, Daxter."

            But Daxter wasn't breaking into his easy grin as she expected him to. Instead he still looked at her solemnly, "No, I mean like me like me."

            "Oh, Daxter—" Tess said softly but Daxter held up his hand because he could no longer hold back his song.

            _"I lived my life in his shadow, never the glory on my face." He sang grimly and people everywhere stopped to listen to this confession of the heart, _"It didn't seem so sad though, I figured that was my place. But now I'm bathed in your light and I know something just isn't right."__

            Tess sighed softly and looked at Daxter lovingly. She sat down on the grass and watched as Daxter began to move softly, as if driven by the wind.

            _"I'm under your spell." Daxter sang, not caring that maybe it didn't sound like the 'Daxter' he portrayed himself as. It was what was in his heart and this song was bringing it out, __"How else could it be, that anyone would notice me? It's magick, I can tell. How you set me free, brought me out of his shadow so easily."_

            Around him the people who had once had their own songs now were joining Daxter's song. Soft _oh's__ and _la's_ came forth from their lips as if trying to help Daxter explain his emotions to Tess._

            _"I saw a world twisted, Lurkers and Metal Heads filled the air. And I always took it for granted, I wasn't the only one there. But your power shown through, brighter then any I've known and made me see I'm unique… I'm me…" The winds rustled the leaves and added an eerily beautiful background music to the song._

            _"I'm under your spell. Nothing I can do, you just took my soul with you. You worked your charm so well. Finally I knew, everything I dreamed was true. You made me believe…!" Tess jumped to her feet and swayed her body with Daxter's background dancer's. She smiled at him, but he continued._

            _"The moon to the tide, I can feel you inside! I'm under your spell. Surging like the dark eco, drawn to you so helplessly. I break with every swell. Lost in ecstasy, spread against my Angel Cheeks." Daxter was jumping from shoulder to shoulder of his background singers and dancers. He swayed in time with their bodies._

            _"You make me complete!" Daxter cried, landing on the shoulder next to Tess's._

            _"You make him complete!" The background singers agreed._

            _"You make me complete!" Daxter said and jumped into Tess's awaiting arms. She caught him and cuddled him against her, smiling softly._

            _"I make you complete." She said in her soft singing voice and continued to smile down at him. The background singers and dancers looked at one another in surprise. Then they slowly back away, trying to pretend what had just happened hadn't really._

            Tess smiled down at Daxter, her own heart swelling, and said, "Oh, Daxter, you complete me, too! I love you!" then she kissed him on forehead.

            Daxter smiled lovingly, "I know you loved me back, Angel Cheeks. No one can resist the Orange Lightening." He cuddled against her, content for now.

~~**~~

                        Sunshine shown into the windows of one of the bedrooms of the former baron's palace. The room was large, fit for a princess, and on an equally large bed laid to figures entwined with one another.

            Ashlin's eyes fluttered open and she smiled. For a moment or two, she could be just a woman and her lover besides her could be just a man. She sighed contently and burrowed into the warm Torn's body gave off.

            She felt Torn intake a breath and knew it was time for her to become the governor of Haven City and for him to be come the head commander for the Krimzon Guard. The woman and the man disappeared as duty took over.

            But that didn't they weren't lovers. Ashlin sat up and threw her legs over the side of her bed. She glanced at Torn over her bare shoulder and saw him appreciating her well-toned body. He looked up and they smiled at one another.

            Then Ashlin's face fell as she felt the song coming on. She looked at Torn apologetically, knowing full well he didn't like to sing, and said, "Oh no."

            _"This is the man I plan to entangle, isn't he fine? My claim to fame was to main and mangle, vengeance on my father was mine! But I'm out of that biz, the name I made I'll trade for his. The only problem is…" She looked back over at Torn's annoyed face and sighed, __"I'll never tell."_

            "No. No. No." Torn said as he tried to fight the song burning in him. He would not sing! The head commander for the Krimzon Guard did not sing! On Ashlin's bed, he propped himself up on one elbow and watched as she slid a black robe over her gorgeous body. He smiled and allowed his guard to drop.

            "Damnit!" He hissed moments before, _"She is the one, she's such wonderful fun, such passion and grace! Warm in the night when I'm right in her tight… ah… embrace! Tight embrace! I'll never let her go. The love we've known can only grow. There's just one thing that…" As he spoke those lines, Ashlin turned and gave him a sexy smile, _"no! I'll never tell!"__

            As Torn stood from the bed and moved for his cloths, Ashlin came up back his side and looked into his eyes. Torn groaned but didn't see that there was any way to stop it.

            _"Cuz there's nothing to tell!" They sang in duel harmony. Then Torn and Ashlin parted and exited her bedroom once they were dressed. They made their way to Ashlin's own private kitchen and went about setting up breakfast._

            As Ashlin reached for her yakow milk she said, _"He snores."___

_            "She wheezes."_ Torn shot back as he reached for the bacon.

            _"Say house work and he freezes!" Ashlin complained, her eyes narrowing with the mood of the song._

            _"She eats these skeezy cheeses that I can't describe." Torn retorted, eyes already narrowed._

            _"I talk, he breezes!"_

_            "She doesn't know what pleases!"_

Running out of complaints, Ashlin dug deep, _"His penis got diseases from a Lurker Tribe!"_

They looked at one another and nodded in agreement, _"The vibe gets kinda scary."_

Torn reached for his morning report about any important going-ons in the city and hide his face behind it, _"Likes she thinks I'm ordinary."_

_            "Like it's all just temporary."_ Ashlin said on a sigh.

            _"Like her toes are kinda hairy." Torn muttered from behind his report._

            Ashlin looked away and at the same time they sang without looking at one another, _"But it's all very well. Cuz God knows I'll tell!"_

She turned her head back towards him, saw he still wasn't looking and said angrily, _"When things get rough, he just hides behind his hard-ass features. Now look, he's gettin' huffy." Ashlin sang, noticing that Torn was now glaring at her, _"Cuz he knows that I know."__

_            "She clings, she's needy," _Torn sang back with annoyance, _"she's also really greedy. She never—"_

_            "His eyes are beady!" _Ashlin jumped in, stopping Torn from continuing his montage of insults.

            Torn slammed the report onto the table and looked at her directly, _"This is my verse, hello? I don't do this often, you know! She—"_

_            "Look at me I'm dancing crazy!"_ Doing just that, Ashlin jumped onto the table and spun around, ruining whatever insults Torn was going to throw.

            Torn growled and grabbed her hand, making Ashlin jump off from the table. They looked deep into each other's eyes.

            _"You know…" they said at the same time_

            _"You're quite the charmer." Torn pointed out, smiling._

            _"My guard in armor!"_ Ashlin proclaimed.

            _"You're the cutest of the Guards, with your lips as red as rubies. And your firm yet supple tight embrace!"_

            Ashlin smiled, _"He's swell."_

_            "She's sweller." _Torn said, taking her hands.

            _"He'll always be my feller." Ashlin swore and kissed him on the cheek._

            Wearily, Torn pulled away and looked away from her in nervousness, _"That's why I'll never tell her I'm petrified."_

_            "I've read this tale. First the wedding then betrayal."_ She looked back at him in fear, _"I know there'll come the day when I'll want to run and hide."_

In perfect harmony, looking into each other's eyes, the words fell from their lips, _"I've lied, I said it's easy. I've tried, but there's these fears I can't quell."_

_            "Is she looking for a pot-of-gold?" _Torn wondered.

            _"Will I look good when I'm old?" she pondered in horror._

            _"Will our lives become stressful if I'm never that successful with this city?"_

            _"When I get so worn and wrinkly that I look like David Brinkley?" Ashlin placed her hands on her face and blinked, stepping away from her song, "Who is Davis Brinkley?"_

            Torn shrugged and continued, _"Am I crazy?"___

_            "I am dreamin'?"_

_            "I am marrying a demon?"_ Torn asked as Ashlin moved towards him and he took her hands and they smiled at one another. They loved it each other and they would make it work. The worries didn't matter.

            _"We could really raise the beam in making marriage a Hell. So thank God I'll never tell." They nodded to on another to confirm it, _"I swear that I'll never tell."__

They pulled their hands away and then stood back to back, facing the window and the sun and the day. Their faces were set with determination. They were going to make it work.

            _"My lips are seal!" Torn assured the world._

            _"I take the fifth!" Ashlin cried._

            _"Nothin' to see.__ Move along!" _Torn said and shook his fist.

            _"I'll never tell!" Ashlin cried one last time and both she and Torn fell onto a soft chair laughing. Then they looked at one another in horror. Ashlin had just sung and Torn had just sung._

            This was so wrong.

~~**~~

                        "It was horrible!" Ashlin cried later that day, "We were arguing and then we were rhyming!" She shuddered.

            She and Torn were walking down the streets with Samos leading the way. Right after they had stopped laughing and realized they had done a duet they had decided to immediately seek out Samos and demand he fix the problem fast. Ashlin and Torn did not sing!

            "You have to do something!" Torn said, "I don't like singing and what will it do for my image as the tough leader of the Krimzon Guard?"

            "Well, I'm sorry, you two!" Samos said, rolling his eyes, "But Keira and I have been working our tails off to find out what's causing this but we're both stuck. You'll just have to wait. We'll try to fix everything as soon as we can."

            As they continued onward they passed a young woman with her hover car in low hover zone, and a Krimzon Guard writing on a white slip of paper, shaking his head.

            _"I've been having a bad, bad day. Come on, won't you put that pad away?" The young woman pleaded, her hands clasped in a prayer as the Krimzon Guard continued to write his ticket, __"I'm asking you please, no! It isn't right, it isn't fair! There's no parking anywhere! I think that hydrant wasn't there! Why can't you let it go? I've paid more then my share!"_

            Ashlin, Torn and Samos looked at one another and then they quickened their pace.

            "We better find out how to stop this quick before my solo comes up." Samos said testily, and Ashlin and Torn looked at one another and gulped. He was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzy: ***grins*** well, how did you like Ashlin and Torn's duet? How about Daxter's love song to Tess? I know, it seems I'm making both Jak and Daxter sing the female parts of songs but it was necessary. It fit the bill, but don't worry Jak's solo (_Rest in Peace_ originally song by Spike in the series) is coming up in the next chapter. Oh, and how do you like the whole Tess/Daxter romance going on there? From what I've seen that is one of the very few pro-Tess stories out there. Maybe I like her so much because we're both blondes but I don't think Tess is annoying at all. In fact, she's one of my new favourite characters.

Torn: YOU MADE ME SING A DUET!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!! ***tries to get free from bonds***

Lizzy: how did you get your gag out? ***replaces it*** Torn, you were wonderful! When I finish writing, ready to run far away and untie you, I'll let Ashlin have you. ***Torn quiets down*** that worked, didn't it? And Jak, you and Keira get your big moment in the next chapter.

Jak: If I do anything embarrassing… ***bares teeth***

Lizzy: Of course you don't do anything embarrassing I would never do that to _you! All you do is do a sexy bump and grind and dance on a hover car in the dark with Keira watching. Is that so embarrassing?  
Jak: ***Outraged*** YOU'RE DEAD! DEAD LIZZY!_

Lizzy: ***backs away from desk*** I can tell you two need to cool off. I'll let you stay the night to cool your jets. See ya tomorrow boys. And to all you wonderful people, you know who you are, REVIEW! ***flicks off light and shut door***

Jak and Torn: LIZZY!


	3. Romance and Sweet

Lizzy: I'm back you guys. And now since I'm no longer fearing for my neck because Jak and Torn are still tied up, I'm going to make the plot start moving.

Keira: ***walks into the room*** Lizzy, have you seen Jak? I haven't seen him for days.

Lizzy: ***shrugs*** maybe he went to blow something. He seemed to like doing that a lot nowadays if you ask me. Not that I mind. ***grins***

Keira: ***places hands on hips and glares*** He's mine you know.

Lizzy: ***rolls eyes*** I know that, Keira. No worries, I won't steal your main squeeze. Now, run along. I'm writing Jak and your song, okay?

Keira: I can't wait to see it! ***runs out***

Lizzy: ***hears a bang on the wall and walked over to closest*** Jak, Torn, you know I'd let you go if you promise not to come after me with your weapons.

Jak: ***voice is muffled by the door*** I'm going to kill you when I get out of here!

Lizzy: Whatever. As always I don't own Jak 2 or Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her lyrics. They belong to their very respected owners. And of course much thanks to the following…

**Robin C** (glad you're enjoying it!) **Kiz **(Jak's gonna sing for you!) **Crossover Authoress **(glad I made you feel better, being fired sucks!) **Miyuki (I know, don't see Daxter and Tara going together right? That's why I picked it!) **DarkJakLover and Tora** (no! don't kill yourself! Chapter for you! Keep her in line, Tora!) **Azzi Vile** (***grins*** first person to call me brilliant. I could get used to it!) ****Squabbit (bring your mom on down! Everyone's welcome.) ****Necralis (like spitting on Metal Head corpses, too, but then my mom gets me because the graves turn out to be the carpet…) ****Shark (ah, Vin… just a question— I don't mean to be mean— but have you beaten the game?) ****EasterBadger (first I'm brilliant and now I'm being envied? Boy and my first grade teacher said I'd never amount to anything) ****kizna1200 (Obviously Torn and Ashlin wouldn't do anything government ***grins*** I don't think anyone would do anything government with Torn around— if you're a girl ***drools***— or Ashlin— if you're a guy) **

            Now that that's taken care of on with the chapter!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Three- Romance and Sweet 

                        Keira was about a mile from Jak's house. She didn't know why he insisted that both he and Daxter live in the Slums of Haven City when there was a perfectly good room for them at Daxter's new place, the Naughty Ottsel.

            She crossed one of the bridges placed over the trenches meant to hold the pipes of water carried to the slums. She tried to ignore the young man and woman singing about what type of clothing they liked and the old man singing about times past. It was too weird to hear Haven City filled with so much music. Her daddy was right, they needed to find out who was doing this and make him or her stop. She hadn't heard Jak sing much yet, she didn't want to imagine him singing and then bursting into dust. It creeped her out.

            She felt herself tremble slightly. Jak had changed so much in the years. He knew longer was the innocent boy of her girlhood dreams. Her father had told her that maybe now that Jak was hardened by hatred and war she should move on, but he father didn't get it. Jak was the man of her woman fantasies. And it seemed like no matter how hard she explained it to her father, Samos didn't get it.

            She couldn't really explain it, either. She had begun to love the young boy Jak had once been when she had just been a girl. But now she was a real woman and something about this Jak, something about the maturity the differences made her fall head over heels.

            But now Jak was changing, again. He was becoming distant. He no longer had the air of anger shimmering around him like he had the first day she had met him. He seemed cold somehow, as if he had lost the will to live.

            The very thought of Jak no longer living made Keira want to cry. She couldn't imagine life without Jak. The two years they had been separated had been hell. She had spent the half of the first year looking for him. That was what had led her to the stadium and her garage. She had been searching for Jak when she had run into an old man looking to get rid of his racing team. He had seen Keira, lost and confused, and had seen potential in her. He took her under her wing and taught her the ropes. When Keira had learned that if she won the Class 1 Race she'd get to meet the baron, she had worked her ass off. When she had finally won that race and she was taken to the palace she had been disappointed. She had met Baron Praxis, Erol, and Ashlin.

            But she hadn't met Jak.

            Keira thought about the coldness in Jak's eyes and pursed her lips. She wished she could soothe whatever was bothering Jak, but she couldn't. If they had been children, if everything was simpler, maybe she could have. But she had changed, too. She was a strong woman, an independent woman. She was no longer content to sit back and let other people take care of things for her.

            She finally reached Jak's small, plain house. It was one of many small houses in the Slums stacked onto one another to make a wall. Jak's house was dark brown and on the bottom level. As she neared it, she saw that the windows were lightless.

            Is he not there? Keira wondered and pushed open the door.

            But no, he was there. Jak was sleeping on the only piece of furniture he had in the small house. A metal, almost crypt-like bed. Jak spent most of his time prowling the city and thus didn't have much use for other furniture like tables or chairs. He didn't invite anyone over, didn't like it when people came over, and tended to stay away from his house until night when he needed the sleep.

            Jak slept like the dead. He eyes were closed, his breathing so slow that he didn't seem to be taking in air at all and he was laying flat on his back, his hands at his side.

            "Jak?" Keira said softly, taking tentative step towards him. If he was asleep she didn't want to wake him; he got so little sleep, "Are you awake?"

            Jak shifted slightly and rolled onto his side, eyes fluttering open. He propped himself onto his shoulder and looked at her crossly. Keira blinked in surprise.

            "What do you want!?" He snapped.

            Keira back away slowly, almost fearfully. Why was Jak so angry with her? What had she done? She thought they had made up about the Erol deal after Jak had won the Class 1 Race.

            Jak saw the fear the came into her fears for the fleeting second and groaned. He hopped off his bed and walked over to her. He wished he could still be that boy she had almost loved. He wished she could still be the girl he almost loved. He wished they still held their innocence of youth.

            "I'm sorry." He said softly, stopping a few feet away from her.

            Keira looked at him in sympathy and Jak almost winced. He didn't want her sympathy. He wanted her. He wanted to her to love the Jak that he was today. Like he loved the Keira she had become. He wished he could be the boy, if only for one day, that she loved and have a taste of the love she could have given.

            But that boy had died.

            "Why are you changing, Jak?" Keira said in a soft voice, "You're growing so cold… you don't seem real anymore. Why are you pulling away?"

            "Maybe because you already have." Jak said and looked away, "You don't understand me anymore, Keira. You don't know who I am. You pulled away because the boy you once knew died and was replaced by a stranger."

            "Jak…" How could he think that? She was just so confused right now. Her emotions were in turmoil. How could she tell him what she was fearing?

            "You don't want what I am." He went on, ignoring her, "You don't want me anymore. You miss the boy. The kid I was. Well, I'm sorry we sent him away. I should just leave it at that. But I can't seem to leave you alone, Keira, no matter what I do. I'm drawn to you. Like the moth to the flame."

            "Oh…" Keira said softly and reached out for him, but Jak pulled away.

            _"I died, it seems, so many years. The boy I was is gone." Jak began as Keira watched, __"But you can make me feel like it isn't so. And way you come to be with me, I think I finally know. Mmmmmm. You're scared, ashamed of what you feel." He turned towards her with blazing eyes and watched as Keira shook her head numbly._

            _"And you can't tell the ones you love, you know he can't deal. A whisper in my ear, that doesn't make it real. That's great, but I don't wanna play. Cuz bein' with you touches me more then I can say. And since I'm dead to you, I'm saying stay away and let me rest in peace!"_

Driven by whatever force was making him sing, Jak grabbed Keira by the hips and with her surprised look in his face, move her out of his way and leaped outside. Keira, looking worried because she knew what happened when you sang too hard, hurried after him.

            But Jak seemed to have a great handle on his singing, Keira thought. In fact, he was rather good at. The way he powerful muscles moved. Keira could feel her face heat and all she could do was watch. Watch as Jak sang his soul out.

            Jak could feel Keira's eyes on him and he felt the smile come onto his lips. At least now, he had her attention. Maybe he could finally get her to accept the real him.

            Just then a hover car dropped behind him. Without taking his eyes from Keira's, he flipped onto the car's hood. The driver screamed and ran from the car, leaving Jak alone with it. He knee banged in time with the beat.

            _"Let me rest in pace. Let me get some sleep. Let me take my love and bury in a hole six feet deep." He threw he head back and raised his arm, lifting them to the black sky, __"I can lay my body down, but I can't find my sweet release. So let me rest in peace!"_

_            ""You know,"_ Jak started the next verse, his tone somewhat angry. He jumped from the hover car and moved towards Keira. Almost giddily, she backed away, _"You got yourself a willing slave. And you just love to play the thought that you might go against daddy's wishes and misbehave. Until you do, I'm telling you stop visitin' my house, my grave and let me rest in peace!"_

            Keira wasn't backing up anymore. Her eyes were locked with his. Her legs no longer able to move. Jak moved closer so that he was only inches away from her. They could feel each other's body heat.

            Keira gasped softly as Jak's hands reached out and dug into her waist. Then he pulled her against him and made her dance with him.

            _"I know I should go, but I follow you like a man possessed. There's a traitor here beneath my breast." His eyes were locked with her and Keira found herself lost in the dance. She didn't sing but in way a she was locked in the same spell Jak was, __"And it hurts me more then you've ever guessed. If my heart could beat again it would break in my chest." She felt her body heat as he grinded himself against her. It was the most sensual thing she had ever felt. She threw her head back and moved with him, bumping and grinding, __"But I can see you're unimpressed, that was Erol's job. So let me be!"_

            Jak continued to dance with her in their fast tempo. Sweat, thrilling and cold from the night air, rolled down their backs and foreheads. Keira's blue/green hair was plastered to her forehead. But then they slowed down and Keira lowered her thrown back head to look at him. Their lips were inches apart and Keira parted them. Jak almost groaned and had the urge to press his against hers, but instead he twirled her away from him and jumped away from her, looking at the city.

            _"Let me rest in peace! Let me get some peace! Let me take my love and bury it in a hole six feet deep. I can lay my body down but I can't find sweet release. Let me rest in peace." He turned back and looked at her. Keira rushed towards him and he held out his arms, ready to catch her. She tripped and fell fully into him and they both tumbled into one of the water trenches in the city. Keira was on top of him and she raised her head to look into his eyes, _"Why won't you let me rest in peace?"__

"Jak…" Keira said softly and they looked deep into each other's eyes. She implored him to see the love there. But he was already turning away, refusing to see what was right in front of his eyes.

            "Just leave me alone, Keira." Jak said and placed her on her feet. Then he hopped out of the trench and walked away.

            Keira watched him walk away and her noise crinkled. He was being stubborn. How could he not see how much she loved him? She glared at his retreating back and placed her hands on her hips.

            "Fine!" She snapped after him. For a moment, Jak faltered in his long strides. But then he continued onward… without looking back. Keira bit her lip in anger and turned away from him. She had to help her father track down whoever was doing this and didn't have time for Jak's moody attitude right now.

~~**~~

                        Daxter watched wearily as Keira, Samos, and Tess tried to make out the words in some old 'demon' books Ashlin had found locked in her father's personal vault.

            Ashlin had been at a meeting with the town's people, discussing how they were going to stop everyone from singing, so Torn had to come over to the Naughty Ottsel. He said about Ashlin saying that the books might help them and then ran off. Daxter suspected he didn't want to join them in their latest D-minor.

            Daxter couldn't help but sigh as Tess leaned over one of the books she was researching and gave him a very good view of her shapely back. He decided to watch her for a few moments longer before turning back to his books.

            But his mind was not on what he was reading. He was thinking about what he and Tess had. What they could have. What they couldn't.

            Sure it was fun now, Daxter knew. It was nice to know that Tess loved him despite the furriness, but how could they make it last? After all he was an Ottsel while she was human. He didn't see how that could work. If only he was still in his boy form…

            Daxter sighed and hopped off the bar. He walked to the exit door. Tess raised her head from her book and looked after him, as if she wanted to say something. But then Keira was demanding her attention and Tess turned away, hoping her furry animal was okay.

            Daxter stood on the edge of the water, looking into his reflection. Disgust marred his face and he pulled away, annoyed. He looked at his paws.

            _"Does anyone even notice?" Daxter sang, __"Does anyone even care?"_

But then his solo was caught short by a pain in the back of his head and the blackness in his vision. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slid to the floor.

~~**~~

                        Daxter groaned as he dragged his mind out of the blackness of unconsciousness. He rolled onto his back and stared at the brown ceiling. He blinked when he realized that it wasn't the Naughty Ottsel.

            He turned his head to the side so he didn't have to move his back because it ached. From what he could tell he was standing on a wooden stage and there were two plush chairs behind him. In front of the stage was a pool table along with chairs and tables. Small chandlers hung from the ceiling and offered light.

            Moaning, he rolled onto his stomach and pressed his paws to the ground. Then he used his knees to push himself off of the floor. He pressed his paws to his head and closed his eyes as the headache attacked him.

            He opened his eyes and the first thing he thought was that the ground was farther away from him then it should be. Was his vision playing tricks on him? Was that why the ground seemed so far away from his chest?

            Wait a minute…

            "Oh my God." Daxter said his second thought out loud. He was looking at his hands and saw that the orange fur was gone, replaced by all too familiar pale skin. He lifted those shaking hands and ran them over the smooth skin of his face, felt the buck teeth, and the spiked hair. His eyes were wide.

            He was human again.

            He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing the cloths he had last had on. The day Jak had pushed him into the Dark Eco. The white khakis, the red shirt that went to his mid-thighs and the dark red belt. He wore the fingerless gloves he hadn't ever removed, though now they were bigger now to accommodate the larger hands.

            "Are you really that surprised?" Came a soft voice and Daxter wheeled around. He came face to face with a… well, Daxter wasn't quite sure with what. The thing before him was red-skinned and horns on its head. It wore a black cape with a long black robe. The eyes of the creature were black and horrible. It made Daxter shudder.

            The creature moved towards Daxter, ignoring his fear, "After all, this was want you wanted. In some part of your mind you'd knew you'd get it."

            "How are you… ah… what are you?" Daxter said wearily, looking the creature up and done.

            The thing chuckled, a deep freaky laugh, "I, dear, am I demon. I am the female demon of song and secret emotions. The Demon Realm calls me Sweet."

            Daxter looked at Sweet with a raised eyebrow. So this was their demon? This was the evil dude, "So, you're the one whose making people sing and blow up?"  
            Sweet smiled, a very dangerous smile with pointed teeth, "Yes, but it's also your fault, Daxter. And Jak's."

            "What!?"  
            "Oh yes. Of all the worlds I've been to this place has got to have the worst suppressed emotions I've ever seen. I was drawn here, you see. And you, with your need to be human and to be with the one you love, have given me much power." Sweet moved towards Daxter.

            "I'm leaving!" Daxter said, moving towards the stairs.

            "After all I've done for you?" Sweet said, "Would you be human without me? Would you be able to be with Tess? I'm what made you, Daxter. And you owe me. You owe me a lot."

            "Well thanks a ton, pointy." Daxter snapped, "But I'm still leaving. You're a freaky-ass demon and when Jak finds out what you've done to me—"

            Sweet laughed, threw her head back with it, as if it was the funniest thing, "Jak!? That boy won't have time for you, dear boy. He's got his own emotional problems. What with wanting to be with that girl and being afraid of what's inside of him, where will he find time for you? Will he want, too? Haven't you noticed how cold he's become?"

            Because she was right, he got annoyed, "I'm leaving." He repeated and made a break for the stairs.

            But Sweet stepped in front of him and smiled, _"Why do you run away? Don't you like my style? Why don't you come and play? I guarantee a great big smile. I come from the imagination, and I'm here strictly on your invocation. So what do you say? Why don't we dance a while?"_

            Daxter dodged Sweet's hands as she tried to grab him and make him dance. He looked at her in horror when he realized he was soon going to be singing as well, "Oh no." he said softly.

            Sweet continued to smile at him like a huntress to her pray, _"I'm the heart of swing. I'm the twist and shout. When you gotta sing, when you gotta let it out, you call me and I'll come a-running. I turn the music on, I bring the fun in. Now we're partying. That's what it's all about."_

            She circled Daxter and he backed up. She lunged slightly and Daxter toppled over, falling into on of the plush chairs behind him. Sweet moved forward and pressed her hands on the armrest, trapping him.

            _"Cause I know what you feel, boy. I just know what you feel, boy." Sweet sang softly, leaning close to Daxter's face. Her eyes glittered dangerously._

            Daxter, as the spell worked its magick over him, said hopefully, _"So you're a good demon? Bringing the fun in?"_

            Sweet laughed and shook her head, backing away from him, _"All these melodies, they go on way too long. Then that energy starts to come on way too strong. All those hearts lay open, that must sting. Plus some customers just start combusting." Sweet shrugged as if blown up customers was nothing to worry about, _"But that's the penalty when life's but a song."__

            She twirled on the stage and the spotlight shown on her from invisible magick hands. Sweet threw her arms up over her head and rocked her hips, lost in the music. Daxter edged away from his seat and towards the stairs when Sweet wheeled around. Daxter, not looking forward to get sliced by one of Sweet's sharp fingernails, sat back down.

            _"You brought me down and doomed this town. So when we blow this scene back we will go to my kingdom below. And you will be my king."_

Daxter's face paled at the very thought of being married to this demon. You couldn't even tell if Sweet was female or not until she said so! That was so wrong. Daxter shook his head fiercely as Sweet neared him once more.

            _"No you see, you and me wouldn't be very regal." Daxter protested, waving his hands franticly. Sweet laughed and grabbed his hands._

            _"I'll make it real, boy." Sweet protested, caressing Daxter's hands._

            Daxter shuddered and pulled his hands away, _"What I mean, you're evil so this king thing's illegal."_

Sweet shook her head, looking disgusted and pulled Daxter to his feet, _"I can bring whole cities to ruin and still have time to get a soft shoe in."_

_            "That great, but I'm late," _Daxter sang and looked at his non-existent watch on his wrist, _"and I hate to delay him."_

_            "Something's cooking, and I'm at the griddle. I bought Nero his very first fiddle."_ Sweet explained as she forced Daxter to dance with him.

            _"He'll get pissed if I'm missed, see my friends the hero." Daxter explained and felt the spell start to wear off. Sweet was smiling at him again and she pushed him back into the chair. She leaned against him and from behind his chair she withdrew the ropes._

            "I know it." she said and pulled the rope taunt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzy: Well, chapter three is done! And I've finally got some Jak/Keira action going on! Yay! Pazza! And all that jazz. ***the song 'All that Jazz' from 'Chicago' get stuck in her head*** Damnit! I just got that out of there. Anywho, I made Daxter a boy, see? Surprised? Ah well, I liked Daxter as the cute shrimpy wimp that he is in Game 1. I just had to make him regular again. And can you imagine what the children would look like if Tess and Daxter ever got together!? ***shudders and slaps head*** be gone vision!

Daxter: ***boy formed*** you made me boy Daxter ***jumps into Lizzy's arms*** Thank you! Thank you!

Lizzy: ***immediately drops Daxter*** what are you thinking!? We don't hug! I don't want crazy Tess after my hide, okay? Go hug her!

Daxter: Oh yeah! Bye ***runs from room***

Lizzy: ***looks around sharply then sneaks over to closest and opens it. Jak and Torn, gagged and tied up, are hanging from cloths rack*** You know guys this wouldn't have happened if you had just let me write my story in peace. ***dreamy eyes*** Oh, by the way. What did you think about your sexy dance Jak? I almost made you kiss Keira. ***squeals***

Jak: ***looking angry*** whIgtotofheryullbded. ***voice if muffled by gag.

Lizzy: ***holds hand to her ear*** what's that? You want to sing even more!? Okay, why didn't you just say so? I'm always happy to do as you ask.

Torn: ***voice muffled*** Igintkilyoiswartod!

Lizzy: ***Rolls eyes*** Torn, no need to be pushy. You'll get to sing again, too! ***turns to audience*** In the next chapter Keira will get her first solo and then she and Tess will do a duet about the men they love. Sounds fun doesn't it? ***hears crickets*** Right… I guess j\ust REVIEW! ***shuts closest door with Jak and Torn screaming through their gags***


	4. The Way, Staying and Fire

Lizzy: ***walks into room reading strategy guide for Jak 2*** Oh hello! Welcome back to my story. This time I've conceived Daxter to help me with the disclaimer. ***walks over to closest and opens it. Doesn't look at an angry Jak and Torn, and pulls a gag Daxter out*** Hello, Daxter! Have a nice sleep?

Daxter: ***groggily holds head and looks around*** wha… where am I? What did you put in my drink, Lizzy? My head hurts like a bi—

Lizzy: ***puts hands on hips and glares***

Daxter: scuit? ***stands up in boy form***

Lizzy: ***smiles sweetly*** Daxter remember when you told me that you weren't saying my disclaimer because I made you get captured by the demon who originally was a boy? Thus, making you kinda gay and you don't swing that way?

Daxter: ***eyes Lizzy suspiciously*** yeah…

Lizzy: ***still smiles*** Well, if you and Tess ever want to have children together I suggest you read this note card. ***hands Daxter the note card and when Daxter doesn't read it, brings out Torn's knife thingy***

Daxter: ***gulps*** isn't that Torn's? Where'd you get it?

Lizzy: ***smile tightens*** do you really want to find out?

Daxter: ah… no. ***reads note card*** Okay, Lizzy does not own Jak 2 or Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the lyrics from 'Once More, With Feeling'. They belong to Naughty Dog Inc. and Joss Whedon. Now on with the chapter! ***drops note card and runs away***

Lizzy: ***places knife back in waist belt*** And now some thank-yous! ***pause*** Or should I say a lot of thank-yous?

**Robin C** (yes, Torn is hot isn't he? ***drool***) **kiz (***sighs*** yes, don't we all wish Jak would proclaim his love?) **Squabbit** (Ah, the power of the writer! I can make two Jak's! Aren't ye jealous? Oh and Daxter is older and hotter. I'll leave you're imaganition to the rest)**** nobinoir22 (***bows*** why thank you =P) ****Li Kenta (I'm glad you enjoyed my portrayals) ****Azzi Vile (Thanks for the site ***pets plushie*** ah, does it bite?) **Daheim **(well, we can't have you having seizures now can we? Ohhh and I love your fic! I just haven't gotten around to reviewing it. Lazy me!) **LombaxLover** (***tear*** Awesomeness in a can? That is so NICE!!! The funny never stops with me!) **DarkJakLuver&Tora **(***giggles*** you know I've never had someone worship me. I think I'm getting power-high ***evil laughter***) **Angeles Erare** (thank you! I support Jak/Keira all the way! It's so obvious they love each other!) **Miyuki **(I couldn't resist putting Daxter as Dawn! They have somethings in comman!) ****kizna1200 (ahhh, combustion ***sighs*** how I loath you and yet…)**

                        Keep on reviewing you guys! Now on with chapter four! ** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Chapter Four- The Way, Staying, and Fire 

                        Keira walked into the weapon's factory a few miles from the Naughty Ottsel. She hadn't been able to get her mind off Jak. Something was really bothering him and she wanted to know what it was.

            That and it hurt her to know that Jak thought she didn't love the man he had become. How could he not see that she loved him, the Jak he was today, more then the boy he had once been. The innocent Jak was the counter part of the innocent Keira she had been. The Jak of today was the counterpart to the Keira she was now.

            And she was still a little ticked off at him. He couldn't just walk out on her, saying to never see or bother him again. There was something between them whether he liked it or not. If he didn't want it that was fine with her, but he couldn't walk out on it until they talked about.

            She had gone over to the Naughty Ottsel, telling herself she needed to talk to Jak. She needed to tell him what she felt and she needed to find out what was wrong with him. She needed to try to bring him out of the coldness he seemed locked in.

            But Jak hadn't been there. Torn had explained that Jak had gotten frustrated with all this research when he had came back to the Naughty Ottsel and had gone to the Gun Range only a few miles away to keep busy. He also wanted to be ready to face this enemy.

            So here Keira was.

            She felt a little silly, chasing after him, but something inside of her knew that if she let him go he'd be lost forever. She needed to draw him into the light.

            The metal door protecting the shooting range opened and Keira stepped into dirt covered floor of the shooting range. Jak was in the middle of the room, checking his Blaster Gun and Vulcan Fury Gun. He didn't look up at her though she saw his back stiffen.

            "What do you want?" Jak snapped and Keira almost lost her nerve, but then he turned towards her and she saw the weariness, the tiredness, in his eyes and her determination was resolved.

            "I… I was… worried about… about you." She stammered. She hadn't realized it before but Jak was very intimidating, since he was taller than her, buffer than her and very, very male.

            Jak looked down into her green eyes and laughed harshly, "I doubt it." he said and turned back to his gun.

            Don't get angry, Keira ordered herself as her fists clenched, don't get angry, "No, really, Jak. You're so cold and distant all of a sudden. I'm—"

            "I don't have time for this." Jak said and placed ammo into his Blaster Gun, "I have training to do, Keira, and you're just standing in the way."

            "Standing in the way…" Keira whispered as Jak walked to one of the two doors in the shooting range. One opened and Jak stepped into it. Without thinking Keira followed with sad, sad eyes.

            _"You're not ready for the world outside." Keira began as Jak started to fire his gun, _"You keep pretending but you just can't hide. I know I said that I'd be standing by your side. But I…"__

Jak didn't hear Keira's softly sung song as he aimed at the wooden dummy and destroyed it with one blast. Keira watched all this and continued to sing, _"Your path's unbeaten and it's all uphill. And you can meet it but you never will. And I'm the reason you're standing still. But I…"_

Jak was flipping and rolling, now. Feinting to the left, dodging to the right as the wooden posters of enemies popped up from the holes in the ground. He didn't take notice of Keira as she followed him. His face was set, his mouth grim. He gritted his teeth every now and then when a poster popped out of the ground unexpectedly.

            _"I wish I could say the right words to lead you through this land." Keira went on, never taking her eyes off of Jak, __"Wish I could play the lover and take you by the hand. I wish I could stay here but now I understand I'm standing in the way."_

Keira wished desperately that she could rush to Jak and threw her arms around his neck. She wished she could chase away him demons. She wished she could unfreeze his soul.

            _"I wish I could lay your arms down and let you rest at last. Wish I could shoot your Metal Heads but now that time has passed." Keira cocked her head to the sky as she followed the noise Jak's gun was making, _"Wish I could stay here, your light standing fast. But I'm standing in the way."__

            Jak finished his rounds at last and exited the shooting range, with Keira following quietly behind. But tears were running down her cheeks. She felt so helpless and weak. She couldn't melt the ice around his heart. The one time when it counted, she couldn't come up with a plan. She sniffled.

            Jak heard her now and, surprised that she hadn't left, turned to her and looked at her softly. He moved towards her and brushed away a tear from her cheek, "Keira…?" he said softly.

            _"I'm just standing in the way." Keira finished on a whisper._

            Jak couldn't seem to take his eyes away from her. In even in tears, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The light in his life. His hands, as if acting on their own accord, lifted from his sides and his gun clattered to the ground. He reached out and gripped her arm and pulled her an inch closer, another inch, three inches.

            "Keira, I—" Jak said, yearning to tell her what was in his heart.

            "JAK!" For at least the third time, Jak and Keira' romantic interlude was interrupted by someone. This time it was a pale faced Tess. She rushed into the room so panicked, so worried, that she didn't take notice of the tension in the room.

            Jak let go of Keira's arm and turned towards Tess. Keira lowered her head and felt a new emotion take over her. A coldness.

            "What is it, Tess?" Jak asked, a little angry that she had interpreted them.

            "It's Daxter!" Tess cried, "Samos got a note saying a woman called Sweet has him and that she's the demon who's causing everyone to sing! She says she going to take Daxter away to her world after this one is destroyed."

            "To the Naughty Ottsel!" Jak cried and grabbed his gun from the floor. Tess nodded and ran from the door. Jak looked back at Keira, who had her back turned to him, and then ran out of the door.

            Keira shivered from coldness but she knew it wasn't because the room was cold. She was cold. Bone cold. She turned towards the door, no tears on her face, no emotion at all.

~~**~~

                        Everyone— Ashlin, Torn, Brutter, Samos, Sig, Tess, Jak and Keira— assembled in the Naughty Ottsel for an emergency conference. The pub was closed for the night, for days if necessary. They all filled into the chairs at the bar and when there wasn't enough Jak and Torn stood, looking grim.

            Keira sat besides Tess, patting her back as she began to cry softly. But on Keira' face there was no emotion. She stared off, lost in her own void. Samos looked at Keira sadly. He opened his mouth to as what was wrong, but Keira shook her head. Ashlin and Brutter were talking in low voices, possibly about using a balloon to scout the area.

            Sig stood and handed Jak a white slip of paper, saying, "Tess got this a few minutes ago. It's from some chick named Sweet."

            Jak took it and read the words, Torn reading over his shoulder. The letter introduced a demon named Sweet, who had the ability to make people sing out their innermost feelings. It went on to explain that she was drawn to this place by all the suppressed emotions of people, Daxter's especially. Sweet explained that she planned to make all of Haven City's inhabitants go 'poof' and then hightail it back to her world, only with Daxter as her king.

            "Why would anyone want Daxter?" Torn said after reading the note and backed away as Tess raised her head from Keira's shoulder to glare at him.

            "What do we do? The furball's in real trouble this time." Samos said, and patted Tess on the back, "But if I know Daxter, he'll be alright."

            "The first course of action," Ashlin said as she moved from Brutter, "would be to locate this Sweet's hideout and go after him, full force."

            "YEAH!" Sig agreed, "I haven't used the Peace-maker in so long! I think she's starting to feel neglected."

            Brutter nodded, "Brutter get Lurker people to help! We charge in and make Sweet go 'poof'!"

            "I think we need to research on this Sweet character more." Samos said, "Now that we know what her name is, finding out about her should be no problem."

            "Daxter… Daxter doesn't… doesn't have that much TIME!" Tess wailed and moved away to sit in the corner of the bar to think to herself.

            "No," Jak said and stood, glaring at each one of them, "none of you are fighting. I'm doing this alone." He turned to the door.

            "Don't be stupid!" Torn snapped, "It's a demon. It's had supernatural powers! How are you going to fight it?" His eyes narrowed with challenge.

            Jak looked at Torn harshly and said in an equally harsh tone, "Back off, Torn. I don't need you to help me. I've never needed you help me."

            Torn crossed arms over his chest and snarled, "Fine. I didn't give a damn whether or not you live. In fact, I hope you fry."

            "Thanks." Jak said, baring his teeth. Then he stood and marched away.

            "Asshole." Torn muttered and he too stormed away, but in the opposite direction of Jak.

            Ashlin rolled her eyes and looked at Keira and Tess saying, "Arrogant male pride. Torn and I will be back and then we can think of a plan, whether Jak likes it or not."

            Sig shook his head, "How can Jak do that to me? He knows I've been itching to use the Peace-maker. Well, I'm going to get it anyway. I miss my baby."

            As Sig walked out of the Naughty Ottsel, Brutter turned to Keira and said, "Brutter will go find Lurker friends, just in case. Brutter will be back in short time, you see." He then hunched over and ran from the bar.

            Samos, Keira and Tess were the only ones left now. Samos looked between the two women. One with a face of angst and the other one of nothing. He could feel their sorrow, their grief, and he didn't like it. He muttered something about needing to go to the little sage's room and hurried out of the back door.

            Tess lowered her head into her folded arms and fought back more tears. Why did everything have to fall apart now? She had just fallen in love, had just received love. Why did Daxter have to taken away? Why didn't he tell her what was bothering him so much instead of hide it in himself and causing all this pain.

            Tess raised her head and looked at the door, _"I'm under your spell. God, how can this be? Forever gone from my memory. You know I've been through hell. Daxter, don't you see? There'll be nothing left of me. You made me believe…"_

            Keira lowered her eyes as she heard Tess's soft song and she couldn't help her own words, _"Believe me I don't want to go."_

The two women looked at one another in mutual understanding. They suffered for their men, whether they wanted to or not. In perfect harmony they sang, _"And it'll grieve me 'cause I love you so. But we both know…"_

_            "Wish I had the right words." _Keira said sorrowfully, standing from her chair.

            _"Wish I could trust it was just this once." Tess added, also standing from her seat and walking over to Keira._

            _"To lead you through this land." Keira sang to Tess, feeling or hoping that the young blonde would understand what was going on within her._

            Tess nodded, to let Keira knew she understood where she was coming from, _"But I must do what I must."_

_            "Wish I could play the lover—"_

_            "I can't adjust to this sorrow."_

_            "—and take you by the hand."_

_            "We're done and I just—"_

Keira and Tess took each other hands to offer some sort of condolence to one another. Knowing that there was someone else also suffering helped a little, _"—wish I could stay." They sang together._

            _"Here." Keira added softly._

            _"Wish I could stay." Tess said looking to out at the door again, wishing and hoping that Daxter would walk through it. But he wouldn't; not until he was saved._

            _"Wish I could stay." Keira agreed, thinking of Jak. She felt so cold without him. He drawn away from her and now she had nothing to keep her warm. The thought of that made her trembling._

            Finally the song broke and their hands parted. Keira and Tess looked at one another, coming to a silent agreement, as Samos walked in. He looked between them and saw the light in their eyes that meant they had plan.

            "Find everyone, Daddy." Keira said, "Jak is not doing this alone."

~~**~~

                        Jak walked down the streets of the Slums of Haven City. He knew he should go after Daxter and kill Sweet but he wasn't ready yet. He knew where they were, something inside him just knew, but another something wouldn't let him do so. Something was holding him back.

            And it wasn't Keira.

            Jak regretted those words, more then he could say. He hadn't meant them and when he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks he had felt like the scum of the Earth. No lower then the scum of the Earth. But he felt dead inside. He couldn't seem to tell her that he wasn't sure if he could be the man she deserved. He didn't want to hurt her.

            I'm so cold, Jak thought and shivered. Inside and out. All I want is Keira and her warmth. But will she give it to me if I ask her? After all I've said to her, I won't be surprised if she doesn't. I wouldn't.

            To try to warm himself, Jak walked over to a trashcan that was burning with fire  from the less fortunate people who had to sleep on the streets. He raised his hands over the fire and was still cold. In fact, his shivers worsened.

            _"I touch the fire and it freezes me. I look into it and it's black. Why can't I feel? My skin should crack and peel. I want the fire back." Jak song and watched as the fire swirled and twirled. Then through it he saw an image. Daxter sitting in a plush chair looking afraid with a red-skinned woman laughing in front of him._

            _"Now through the smoke he calls to me. To make my way across the flame. To save the day or maybe melt away. I guess it's all the same." I'm ready, Jak thought powered by the song. He was now ready to face Sweet._

            _"So I will walk through the fire. 'Cause where else can I turn?" Jak sang as he marched down the streets, moving towards Sweet's hideout in Main Town, _"I will walk through the fire. And let it—"__

Meanwhile, at the Naughty Ottsel tensions were high. Everyone, Torn, Ashlin, Sig, Tess, and Samos had agreed with Keira when she had said that they couldn't let Jak do this on his own. Whether he liked it or not they were needed. But they were all afraid that Jak would be angry. They didn't forget that he was Dark Jak. That he could become that thing. But everyone loved Jak, in one way or another, and none were willing to let him die.

            _"The torch he bares is scorching him." Torn sang, groaning as deeply. He had long ago decided to give up trying to fight it and just try to get it over as quickly as possibly and then pretend it had never happened, _"Jak's lost it, I've no doubt. I hope he fries! I'm the star if that ass dies!"_ Both Ashlin and Keira glared at him and Torn shrugged with an aggravated sigh, __"I guess we'd better go help him out."_

Across town, Sweet leered down at Daxter and the young man pushed himself deep into the soft chair, groaning at the very thought marrying her. He was starting to feel ill and he hoped Jak got here soon before the actual wedding got underway.

            _"'Cause he is drawn to the fire. Some people—" Sweet sang._

_            "He will—" _Torn sang to his friends as they watched him, all feeling their own singing verse coming.

            _"Never learn." Both Torn and Sweet sang at the same time, though they were not in the same room, __"And he will walk through the fire. And let it—"_

Keira watched as Torn sang and looked away. She sang softly to herself, _"Will this do anything to change him? Is Jak leaving Daxter in danger? Is my love to far gone to care?"_

Sig looked around at everyone with almost worried eyes. In his hands he clutched the Peace-maker, _"What if Jak can't defeat it alone?"_

Samos shook his head, though he hated to admit it both, Sig and Keira were right. If Jak didn't manage to defeat, then they had to fight, _"Sig is right, we're needed. Or… we could just sit around here and glare."_

Everyone— Tess, Ashlin, Keira, Torn, Sig and Samos— looked around at one another in agreement, _"We'll see it through."_ They sang together as they hopped off their chairs and exited the bar, _"It's what we're always here to do. So we will walk through the fire!"_

            Jak walked down the streets to Main Town, feeling alone and almost lost, _"So one by one they turn from me. I guess my friends can't face the cold."_

_            "What can't we face—"_ Tess song on the opposite side of town.

            _"But why I froze, not one of them wants to know." Jak cried to the night._

            _"—if we're together?" Tess finished._

            _"And never will know." Jak shivered from his own cold._

            _"He came from the nest much graver." Ashlin pointed out as their grouped neared Sweet's hideout. In the distance they could see the red glow of her power._

            Sweet patted Daxter's spiky head while singing, _"So one by one they come to me…"_

_            "First she'll kill him, then we'll save him!"_ Torn said and everyone glared at him and he shrugged, "What? I'm not singing by choice, you know."

            _"Everything is turning out so dark!" Tess sang to Keira, who nodded her head in agreement._

            _"The distance redness is their guide." Sweet sang as she felt them near her and Daxter. She licked her lips and Daxter almost barfed._

            _"Going through the motions." Jak sang as he reached the entrance to Main Town._

            _"No, we'll save him then I'll kill him and become the star!" Torn sang and Ashlin hit him on the head, "Ow what was that for?"_

            _"That single flame ain't what they had in mind." Sweet pointed out to Daxter who looked around when he felt the urge to sing._

            _"I think this line is mostly filler!" Daxter sang and when he saw he wasn't going to be singing anymore he growled, "That's it!?"_

            _"Walking through the part." Jak sang._

            _"What's it going to take to strike a spark?" Keira wondered softly as they reached Sweet's house._

            _"It's what they have inside." Sweet sang mostly to herself._

            _"These endless days," Jak told himself, __"are finally ending in a blaze."_

            _"He will come to me." Sweet finished her part._

            Ashlin, Torn, Keira, Tess, Samos and Sig looked at one another before singing, _"And we are caught in the fire. The point of no return. So we will walk through the fire! And let it burn."_

_            "Let it burn…"_

_            "Let it burn…"_

_            "Let it burn…"_

            Together, the ones who loved Jak pushed open the door to meet Sweet and try to save Daxter from a terrible fate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzy: AHHHHHH! Cliffhanger! Don't you just hate those? I know I do! ***grins*** But I'm sure most of you know what's going to happen next so many it's not a great cliffhanger. Anywho, the next chapter is the last. Am I going to get Jak and Keira together? And how will Tess react to Daxter in elf form? Why am I asking you this?

Daxter: ***wide eyes*** what do you mean? There's a probability that she WON'T like me? God, why Lizzy! WHY!?

Lizzy: ***throws head back laugh*** MWHAAAAA!!

Daxter: ***back away from Lizzy*** Ah, Lizzy, did you get into the sugar again? You know you aren't supposed to have that after nine.

Lizzy: ***licks sugar off her fingers*** I don't know what you're talking about.

Daxter: Okay, I'm going gonna… you know… bye! ***runs out of the room***

Lizzy: As Krew as he died— good riddance to that fat biotch!— oh well… ***grabs bag of sugar and begins to eat*** until next time people REVIEW ***eyes got glassy*** hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe


	5. Where Do We Go From Here?

Lizzy: I'm back for the final chapter. This is kinda a short story for me but I'm basing it on the Buffy episode and it's only an hour and… ***blinks*** I've lost my trail of thoughts…

Daxter: ***walks in and looks around*** Lizzy, are you done being insane?

Lizzy: ***holds head and moans*** yeah, no more sugar. It feels like I have a damn hangover.

Daxter: Do you want me to read the disclaimer? ***Lizzy nods*** Okay, people you know the drill. Lizzy don't own nothing, got it? They belong to Naughty Dog and Joss Whedon. Now go read. I'll leave you alone now, Lizzy. ***walk out from room***

Lizzy: ***stands up and grins*** works every time! So I guess this is the last chapter, huh? How sad. I DON'T WANT TO GO! ***wail*** Okay, okay, I'm done know. I guess we better get onto to the final ***sniffle*** thank yous.

            Shout out to **Robin C** (I never fail to amaze myself either, but it's usually in a not-so-good way) **Miyuki (***ponders*** yes, what will happen to Jak?) ****Karr 'Scarface' (You should be working on your work but since its my fic your reviewing no complaints here!) ****Azzi Vile (Oh no, I made the moose cry. It's almost as bad as making a Llama cry. Sorry!) ****Li Kenta (***grumbles*** Jak is a stubborn ass. Why won't he say he loves Keira!? ***grins sheepishly*** oh right, I'm writing it. Forgot) ****nobinoir (***gaps*** you've compared me to Phoe-chan! She is the best writer EVER! Thank you! It's just too bad I didn't start reading her stories until after she moved.) ****kiz (why should he declare his love for you when he should for me!? Oh well, I guess I'll have Torn…) **Squabbit **(Yes, they should kiss…oh, but will they? ***evil of-power-of-the-authoress laugh***) **DarkJakLuverandTora **(I love Keira/Jak! All the way. People should support it more. If I had the power of mind control then they world, but I don't so they… don't…?) ****heartless_angel (you reviewed chapter one! I shall still thank you! Is it really spelled Ashelin? My book spells it the other way) **kizna1200 **(YAYNESS! Let's go free Daxter!) **Shark** (Jak is my fantasy. Why does Keira get him. I am SOOOOOO jealous. If only I lived in a game ***sigh***)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Five- Where Do We Go From Here? 

                        Sweet turned and smiled softly as Ashlin, Torn, Keira, Tess, Sig and Samos entered her hideout. She didn't even look surprised that Jak wasn't with them.

            "Hello all." She said charmingly, "I see you got my wedding invitation. Sorry, but I'm afraid Daxter and I have decided to elope."

            "Lady, you're insane." Daxter snapped. Everyone's eyes turned to him and they widened one by one. Tess was easily the widest.

            "Who is that!?" Sig demanded, "It's sounds like Daxter—"

            "It's almost as ugly as Daxter…" Torn put in and Daxter glared at him.

            "It acts like Daxter." Ashlin added, pointing to the young man in the chair.

            "It is Daxter!" Samos said mournfully, shaking his head as if he had just witnessed a murder, "This is what he looked like before Jak 'wisely' pushed him into a vat of Dark Eco. Unfortunately it seems that our demon here like 'em human."

            Daxter glared at Samos and crossed his arms, "Thanks, log-in-the-head. See if I save your ass next time you decide to go ask some plants about our future and the Krimzon guards attack you." Then he saw that Tess was still staring at him in shellshock, "Um, hi Angel Cheeks."

            "Oh my God. Daxter you are—" Tess whispered, her hands clasping together and her eyes widening even more.

            "Look, bade, it's not my fault it was—" Daxter began.

            "CUTE!" Tess screeched and would've lunged toward Daxter and hugged him had Sig not shaken is head at her, "Why didn't you tell me you were human before?! You're the cutest thing I've ever seen!"

            "And I thought I had problems." Ashlin said to Torn who nodded.

            "Ah, hello?" Sweet said, sounding annoyed for the first time, "Evil villain to heroes? I am trying to kill you all. You know that, right? Okay then, can we draw attention back to me? Good." Sweet smiled and looked around at the heroes, "So where's our grand savoir? Shouldn't he be here to save his friend?"  
            "Yeah!" Daxter said from his chair, "Why isn't Jak here? Why didn't he come running when he found out I was kidnapped? I'm his best friend for crying out loud!"

            Keira stepped in front of everyone else and glared at Sweet, "He's coming Daxter. We just got separated." She lied, not wanting to tell Daxter that his best friend had ran out on them.

            Sweet laughed and shook her head, "Ah, the girlfriend, the lover. No need to lie, dear, tell us the truth. Jak isn't coming, is he?"

            Keira's eyes narrowed, creating a line in her brow. Her hands clenched into fists and she had the sudden urge to use them, "This is all your fault. If you hadn't come then none of this would've happened! You horrible creature."

            "Hey, I like being me again!" Daxter argued.

            Sweet shrugged as if it didn't matter and turned back to Daxter, "Come along then, my darling, let us take leave and journey to my world where we shall be king and queen."

            "I don't wanna go!" Daxter whined as Sweet moved towards him.

            "NO!" Tess cried, stepping forward to lunge and save Daxter, but Keira reached out and stopped her.

            "Take me instead." Samos cried.

            "Oh, Big Green!" Daxter said, momentarily forgetting he was about to became a king for an evil demon, "You really do care about me."

            Samos glared at him, "Of course I don't, Daxter! I just don't want Tess crying or Jak to turn into Dark Jak again. This has nothing to do with you!"

            Sweet shook her head, "Charming offer, old man, but you're not my type. I go for young and cute not the old and wrinkly."

            "I think you and her would be perfect together, Daxter." Samos muttered but no one heard him.

            Sig stepped forward then with his Peace-maker strapped to his back, "Then take," he raised a finger and pointed, "TORN!"

            "ME!?" Torn shouted and glared at Sig, "Why you… you… why can't she take YOU!?" Sig glared and Torn's intensified. They made a move for each other.

            "She's not taking anyone." Keira said ferociously, stepping forward. Sig and Torn stopped preparing to fight one another to look at the pretty and smart young woman.

            "Oh, no?" Sweet purred and laughed, "Honey, I think you've got yourself mixed up with your boyfriend. You don't save the world, you just make things."

            "You think you know me?" Keira asked, "You don't know what goes on inside of me. What I feel. What I am. You don't know, no matter what you believe."

            "Really? Why don't you tell us what goes on inside you, Keira Haigi? Go on and tell us." Sweet said still looking very amused. She smiled a cat-like smile.

            Keira opened her mouth to say a very un-Keira-like 'bite me', but instead the song fell from her lips, _"Life's a show and we all play out parts. And when the music starts we open our hearts."_

Keira lowered her head and thought about Jak and how much she loved him and how little she told him, _"It's all right if some things come out wrong. We'll sing a happy song and you can sing along."_

She stopped forward despite the fact she heard her father calling her back. Sweet moved towards the edge of the stage and looked at her, _"Where there's life there's hope. Every day's a gift. Wishes can come true. Whistle while you work so hard all day…"_

_            "… to be like the other girls. To fit in this glittering world. To make him see me. Don't give me songs. Don't give me songs."_ She raised her head and her eyes bored into Sweet's, _"Give me something to sing about! I need something to sing about!"_

_            "Life's a song you don't get to rehearse and ever single verse… can make it that much worse."_ She looked at all her friends, who were staring at her with wide eyes, and continued, _"Still my friends don't know why I ignore the million or more things I should be dancing for."_

            Once again her thoughts turned to Jak. Oh, where was he? Would he be here? Would he try to stop Sweet? She didn't think she could alone… but that didn't mean she wouldn't try.

            _"All the joy life sends. Family and friends… all the twists and bends. Knowing that it ends… well, that depends… on if you let go. On if they know enough to know that when he bows he leaves the crowd." Keira sang, trying to make them understand Jak like she did. How could she explain to them that he felt like he died? That his innocence was ripped from him so unjustly?_

            _"There was no pain no fear no doubt till they pulled him out of heaven. So that's my refrain. He lives in hell and so do I because I need to be by his side. We live in hell 'cause we've been expelled from heaven. I think we were in heaven." She turned her green eyes back to Sweet and said, _"So please give me something to sing about. Please give me something."__

            Sweet smiled and flickered her wrist. A new emotion came over Keira. She suddenly had the urge to dance, to twirl and whirl until she was no more. She understood what Sweet wanted her to do.

            Dance to her death.

            And she couldn't stop it. Her feet began to move, rocking to an invisible beat. The tempo increased and she was spinning out of control. Lights flashed at her eyes and her vision blurred. A heat, a scorching heat, burned her legs and then her torso and then her chest. She realized she was turning to dust. She was about to go 'poof' like some of the residents of Haven City.

            Her only regret was that she didn't get to tell Jak she loved him.

            But then strong hands clasped around her shoulder and forced her to stop. Her vision still twirled but the fire spreading through her leg stopped. She raised her blurry eyes and saw herself looking into the piercing blues of Jak.

            "Jak…" She whispered softly.

            "Shhhhh…" Jak whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. He had reached Sweet's hideout right as Keira had begun singing. Instead of attacking Sweet as he should've he hadn't been able to stop listening to her voice. He had never heard her sing before. It didn't long for him to realize what was the cause of her song.

            He was.

            He realized that Keira didn't hate who he was today. She hated those who had taken away his innocence and at the same time he knew she loved him still. And looking into her eyes if he had had any doubt left they were gone then.

            _"Life's not a song." He told her, __"Life's not bliss. Life is just this… it's living. You'll get along. The pain that you feel you can only heal by living. You have to go on living…"_

_            "So that one of us is living."_

            "Jak, you're living, too. I love you." Keira said, raising a hand to touch his cheek. Jak looked down at her and smiled softly.

            "I know that now. Thanks for making me see it. Without you, my light, I would've been stuck in the darkness and the cold. I love you, too." Keira smiled up at him and he brought her into his embrace. Keira folded into his warm and sighed. They broke apart to look into one another's arms. Then their eyes closed and their faces inched closer…

            "HEY!" Daxter called from his seat on the stage, "Aren't you two lovebirds gonna save me? I have a girlfriend, too!"

            Jak looked over at Daxter groaning—when would that Ottsel ever let him kiss Keira?—when he did a double take, "Daxter! You're… well… you!"

            "Hey, I see you've noticed that. Nothing gets past you." Daxter muttered.

            "Are we going to fight now?" Torn asked, "I didn't walk all the down here to watch you two make out with one another, okay?"

            "Don't tell me I brought the Peace-maker out for nothing!" Sig cried mournfully.

            Sweet laughed and everyone turned to her, ready to fight, but she surprised them all by waving, _"What a lot of fun! You guys have been swell and there's not a one who can say this didn't end well. All those secrets you've been concealing… say you're happy now— once more, with feeling. Now I gotta run!"_

_            "See you all in hell!" _Sweet waved cheerily once more and disappeared into the air as a red gas.

            Ashlin blinked, "That was very anti-climatic." she muttered.

            "DAXTER!" Tess cried, moving up the stairs to where Daxter sat, "I love you! I love you! Ottsel or not!"

            Daxter grinned and kissed Tess lightly on the lips, standing from the seat, "Love you, too, Angel Cheeks. And I like it when I'm not in Ottsel form!" Tess laughed and dived at him. They clattered to the ground.

            "So it's over?" Sig asked.

            "Yes, it's over." Samos answered.

            "YES!" Torn said, holding up his left arm in victory, "No more girly man singing! Thank you God!" He pulled Ashlin into his arms and for once didn't care that someone was watching him kissing the daylights out of her. Ashlin replied with equal force.

            "If it's over." Jak muttered, "Then why do I feel a song coming on!?"

            Torn pulled away from Ashlin and then felt it, too. He shook his head in horror and whispered, "No, no, no, no. NO!"

            Daxter raised his head from Tess's and said in his song voice, _"Where do we go from here?"_

This time Jak and Keira joined in with Daxter when he sang, _"Where do we go from here?"_

            Samos looked around at everyone and then sang to Sig, _"The battle's done and we kind of won…"_

_            "So do we sound a out victory cheer?" _Sig asked and then he and Samos sang together:

            _"Where do we go from here?"_

_            "Why is the path so unclear?"_ Ashlin questioned in song and then glared at Torn. He glared right back and kept his mouth firmly shut. She elbowed him in the ribs.

            Growling with annoyance, Torn sang, _"When we know home is so near?"_

And everyone there—Ashlin, Torn, Tess, Daxter, Keira, Jak, Samos and Sig— lined up next to each other and smiled softly. Their hands sought one another's and they held on like a lifeline.

            _"Understand that we'll go hand in hand, but," Then they let each others hand go and back away, __"we'll walk alone in fear."_

_            "Tell me…" _Jak said softly.

            _"Where do we go from here?" Everyone sang, _"Where do we go from here? When does the end appear? Why doesn't this song stop?"__

They raised their hands to the sky, as if preparing for a bow and then they backed up. Jak felt something wooden hit his back and he saw that he had hit one of the wooden beams holding up the ceiling. He shook his head and said, "Screw this." before walking out of the house.

            _"When do the trumpiants cheer?" Everyone else sang and then Keira noticed Jak leaving. Without a second thought she stopped singing and went after him._

            Everyone else kept on singing, _"The curtains close on kiss. God knows we can tell the end is near. Where can we go from here?'_

Keira hurried after Jak. He heard her coming and stopped, causing to her to come to an abrupt halt to keep from bumping into him. He wheeled around and looked at her calmly.

            "You should go back in there. Have your last song." Jak said and Keira shook her head.

            "You should, too." She pointed out.

            Jak shrugged and said, "I don't really sing. I had no choice the other times."

            "But Torn doesn't seem to mind having his last song." Keira peered back into the house and saw Torn's very angry, very red face, "Ah, never mind."

            Jak smiled at her and said, "I really love you, you know?"

            "I know and I love you, too. I was just so afraid for you, Jak. You were so cold but it was just because you were afraid no one understood right?" Keira said, taking his hand.

            "Right." Jak agreed and pulled her closer.

            _"I touch the fire and it freezes me…" Keira began_

            _"I died, it seems…" Jak sang at the same time._

            _"… I look into and it's black…"_

_            "… so many years ago…"_

_            "… this isn't real…"_

_            "… you can make me feel…"_

_            "… but I just wanna feel…"_

Jak and Keira leaned in and kissed. Keira thought the kiss reminded her something of the boy she once knew and something of the girl she once was, shy and innocent. Then the kiss deepened and it was the kiss of the man she knew now and the woman she was today. She liked this one even more. She pushed herself up against Jak and sighed into his mouth. After all this, after all the interruptions, they were finally kissing and no fantasy they had ever had could compare.

            Finally, they broke apart because they had the need for air. They looked at one another and smiled softly. Then the heavy sounds of feet pounding against the floor had them turning to watch Brutter and his Lurker friends rush to them.

            "Brutter bring Lurker friends!" Brutter said happily and pointed to his small army, "We go fight evil demon now, okay? Lurkers ready for fight!"

            Jak and Keira rolled their eyes, "Now you show up!" They said angrily.

            In the distance you could hear Torn, Ashlin, Tess, Daxter, Sig and Samos sing one last time, _"Where do we go from here?"_

~~**~~

                        The day after Sweet had disappeared, Haven City went about it's normal duties. The people did not speak of their singing montages. Most were too embarrassed to admit they had sung their souls out. Some were dust and thus couldn't talk much at all.

            But inside the bar the Naughty Ottsel, it was the hot topic of the day.

            Keira and Jak were propped against the bar. Keira's arm was around Jak's shoulder and Jak had his muscular arm around her slim waist. Ashlin and Torn were seated at a table besides the bar with, much to everyone's surprise, their hands entwined. It was even more of a shock that Ashlin and Torn were engaged, had been since Jak had defeated Kor. Daxter and Tess sat at the table too, side by side. Since Daxter was only an inch or so taller then Tess in elf form they looked to be about equal height. Sig and Samos were also seated at the bar, drinking their drinks and chatting about nothing.

            "I'm glad that's over." Torn said, taking a long drink from his glass, "I don't sing and if I never sing again it will be TOO soon!" he proclaimed and Ashlin chuckled.

            "I liked your singing voice, tough-guy." She said.

            "Well, one good thing came out of it!" Daxter said and motioned to himself, "I'm a hottie again! Right, Angel Cheeks?" he grinned at Tess who shook her and laugh.

            "You betcha, Daxter." She said and pressed her lips against his. Daxter grinned and hooked an arm around her waist, content with his girlfriend.

            Keira shook her head and said, "You know what? I think maybe I liked him more in Ottsel form." She smiled up at Jak who nodded in agreement.

            "He was certainly less conceded." Jak agreed and Daxter glared at him when he was done kissing Tess.

            "I don't know if you'd call him a 'hottie' either." Torn pointed out and said, "I'm going to miss being able to push you off the table. Though I still could even now. I'd have just a tad bit harder time doing it."

            Daxter growled and looked ready to jump when suddenly an idea came to him. He smiled evil and said, "Oh, Torn…" He coughed, _"Where do we go from here?"_

Torn actually paled. He remembered what happened when someone near him started singing. He started singing, too, "You… you're… you're joking! Seriously! Please tell me his joking!" He looked over at Ashlin for support but only found her smiling wickedly as well.

            _"God knows I'll never tell!" Ashlin sang, watching with amusement as her fiancé's eyes widened in horror. Tough-guy Torn didn't usually get so afraid._

            "NO!" Torn shouted and stood from his seat. He hopped over Ashlin and ran out of the bar crying, "NO MORE SINGING!"

            Ashlin laughed and stood as well, "I'd better go after him and make sure he doesn't blow up the whole city trying to find out if Sweet is really still here." She waved to her friends and left the bar calmly, her hips swinging.

            Jak shook his head, "Never really thought anything can scare Torn." He looked down at his girlfriend/lover, saw she was staring off into the void and blinked in concern, "What's wrong?"  
            "Nothing." Keira said, looked up at him and smiled genuinely, "I was just wondering. Where are we going from here?"

            Jak shrugged, "Only time will tell, Keira. But I can tell you one thing, I like it right now and I plan to live right now… with you." He pulled her closer.

            "Me, too." Keira said, lifting her face to his, "Let's worry about tomorrow when it comes. After all, there's nothing we can't face together, and deal with now. And right now I want you to kiss me." 

            "If I must I must." Jak said and leaned forward to happily comply. Daxter, to busy with Tess, didn't interrupt them and never would again.

            Samos groaned and turned towards Sig so that his back was to the embracing Jak and Keira, "I'm never going to get used to this." He told Sig, "I almost miss Daxter and his annoying comments."

            But Keira didn't hear that, and probably would've done nothing if she had, and melted in Jak's embrace. She sighed softly against his mouth and twirled her fingers in his hair. Jak's fingers tightened on her waist.

            Finally they had to broke for oxygen and Jak smiled down at Keira with love and affection, "I love you so much." he told her stroking her cheek.

            Keira beamed up at him with the love bursting from her heart and kissed the palm of his hand when it scarped her lips, "I love you, too." was her answer.

            And neither Keira nor Jak worried about where they went from there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzy: All done! **grins*** I know that was rather short but after all I'm following the script of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So how did you like the Jak/Keira moments? Or the Tess/Daxter and Ashlin/Torn? My fav game couples right there, folks! A special thanks to all you reviewers (keep at it!) and of course to Naughty Dog and Joss Whedon for making the characters and stories in which I base my fanfiction. ***sobs*** I love you all! Anywho, review this last chapter and wait a little while longer. I've got another Jak 2 story coming up! It's another sequel to the game but with Keira as the main character. And Sig will probably be important. I love that big lug! Cool, huh? Anyway, just keep a look out for it and REVIEW this one! Until then ***walks out of room*** I guess I can say goodbye. ***pauses*** why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

Jak: ***bangs shoulder against door*** I can't believe she FORGOT she locked us up in her damn closest! LIZZY! ***silence***

Torn: I'll kill her, I swear! First she makes me sing like a girly man and then she locks me up in a goddamn closest. ***looks up at ceiling*** Why do you hate me?

Lizzy: ***waves*** bye-ie!


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